The raids, believed to be carried out by either Syrian or Russian jets, targeted Maarat al Numan, a densely populated city in southern Idlib province –– a de-escalation zone –– leaving a trail of destruction and carnage, rescuers say.

Air strikes, carried out by either Russia or the Syian regime, killed at least 23 people in Maarat al Numan town in Idlib province. White Helmets volunteers and others continued to look through rubble where people were said to be trapped, making it likely the death toll will rise, July 22, 2019.
(AA)

Air strikes killed 50 people in northwest Syria on Monday, most of them in a crowded market, a war monitor reported, in the latest violence to plague the opposition bastion.

Thirty five civilians and two unidentified people were killed in raids that hit the vegetable market and surrounding areas in the town of Maaret al-Numan in Idlib province, while six more were killed in regime air strikes on the nearby town of Sarqib, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

More than 100 others were wounded, according to the Britain-based monitor.

"Bodies are lying on the streets. May God take revenge on
(Russian President Vladimir) Putin and (Syrian President Bashar
Assad) for their crimes," Abdul Rahman al Yasser, a rescuer from
Idlib's civil defence team White Helmets searching for bodies under the
rubble, told Reuters.

White Helmets volunteer Amir Al Bunni, father of two, also died in the air strikes.

Anas al Dyab, a citizen journalist working with AFP and volunteering for the Helmets died in an attack on Sunday.

While the world is waking up to life, Amir was killed while waking up to devastating airstrikes on Maarat AlNuman.

Residents and local and international aid agencies that
support the opposition and rebel-held areas say the sustained campaign
paralysed everyday life in opposition areas.

According to an Anadolu Agency correspondent, Russian and regime warplanes also carried out attacks on the town of Bidama and the villages of Talmenes and Al Kabina.

Monday's deaths bring the toll to 40 in the past 24 hours as 17 civilians were killed in Russian airstrikes in the same de-escalation zone on Sunday.

The Russian-backed offensive has so far failed to make major
inroads into territory in northern Hama and southern Idlib
provinces, where the mainstream opposition backed by Turkey is putting up fierce resistance –– alongside militants also battling the Assad regime's oppression in Syria –– in their last remaining bastion there.

Russia and the Syrian army deny allegations of
indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas and say they are
fighting al-Qaeda-inspired militants.